Stage 1 fire restrictions in place for SW Utah, northern Ariz.

Scott Lewis
·2 min read

ST. GEORGE, Utah (ABC4) — Dry, windy and hot conditions have all contributed to officials implementing Stage 1 fire restrictions across five Southern Utah counties and a stretch of northwestern Arizona.

Restrictions started at noon today, June 21, on all federal, unincorporated private and state lands across Washington, Iron, Beaver, Kane, and Garfield counties. All Arizona State lands north of the Grand Canyon, NPS lands within the Grand Canyon-Parashant National Monument, and all BLM-managed public lands within the Arizona Strip District are also included. The lands managed by Fishlake National Forest in Beaver and Garfield counties are excluded.

“Elevated fire danger conditions are present across much of southwest Utah. Hot and dry weather conditions are expected to continue into July,” said Southwest Utah Division of Forestry Fire and State Lands Fire Management Officer Dave Harmon. “Because of the higher-than-average spring precipitation, there is more grass on Utah’s landscapes. On windy days, wildfires have the potential to become larger because there’s more available fuel and spread faster through dry grasses.”

What’s prohibited?

  • No campfires or open fires outside of agency-improved and maintained campgrounds and homesites in southwest Utah. Running water is required on cabins or homesites on unincorporated private land. Devices fueled by liquid petroleum are allowed.

  • No discharging of fireworks or other pyrotechnic devices outside of incorporated city limits or on public lands (city-specific restrictions may apply). Fireworks are always prohibited on all federal lands.

  • No shooting of exploding targets or tracer ammunition.

  • No cutting, grinding, or welding of metal in areas of dry vegetation. This includes acetylene

  • torches.

  • No use of equipment without a working and properly maintained spark arrestor (if

  • required).

  • No smoking near vegetation or outside of a developed recreation site, personal vehicle, or

  • building.

  • No open fires of any kind are allowed in Zion National Park’s Watchman Campground

  • (Stage 2 Fire Restrictions).

  • Campfires are allowed in agency-improved and maintained campgrounds at Lava Point.

  • Campfires are allowed at Glen Canyon in established campgrounds within established rings and below the high-water mark, only in areas completely void of vegetation.

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